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Exodus 37

Exodus book home•Chapter 37 of 40•29 verses

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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Exodus 37 Overview

Exodus 37 records Bezalel making the principal holy furnishings. He constructs the ark of shittim wood overlaid with gold, the mercy seat with cherubims, the table for shewbread, the pure-gold lampstand with seven lamps, and the golden incense altar. He also makes the holy anointing oil and pure incense according to their prescribed composition. The chapter closely mirrors the instructions of Exodus 25 and 30, emphasizing faithful execution of the revealed pattern.

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Before you read Exodus 37

Coming from

Exodus 36 constructs the tabernacle coverings, boards, veil, and entrance.

In this chapter

Bezalel now makes the central objects that will occupy and serve the sanctuary’s holy spaces.

Leads into

Exodus 38 completes the bronze altar, laver, courtyard, and gives an accounting of materials used in the work.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Bezalel’s work follows God’s earlier pattern with careful precision.

Truth 2

The ark and mercy seat remain central to the most holy place and covenant testimony.

Truth 3

The table and lampstand equip the holy place for continual priestly service.

Truth 4

The incense altar belongs to regular worship before the veil.

Truth 5

Holy oil and incense remain specially set apart for sanctuary use.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Exodus 25 and 30 provide the instructions that this chapter fulfills in construction.

Connection 2

Hebrews 9 names several tabernacle furnishings when explaining old-covenant worship and restricted access.

Connection 3

Revelation uses ark, lamp, altar, and incense imagery in heavenly scenes.

Connection 4

John 1 and Hebrews 8–10 guide Christians toward the greater reality of God dwelling and access through Christ rather than toward reproducing tabernacle furniture.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

The chapter’s similarity to earlier instructions is the point: obedience is being documented.

Keep this clear 2

The mercy seat’s later theological importance should be grounded in Scripture’s own use rather than imaginative symbolism.

Keep this clear 3

No Christian ordinance requires reconstructing these furnishings for worship.

Keep this clear 4

The sacred oil and incense restrictions from chapter 30 still govern the items made here in their original setting.

Read Exodus 37 watching for…

Bezalel personally named as maker.

Ark and mercy seat as a unit but distinct objects.

The table and its vessels.

The lampstand formed of beaten gold.

The incense altar, holy oil, and incense completing the chapter.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-9Bezaleel makes the ark and mercy seat 10-16The table and its vessels are made 17-24The candlestick and its lamps are made 25-29The incense altar, anointing oil, and incense are made

And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it:

And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.

And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.

And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;

One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.

And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof:

And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.

Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.

And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.

Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.

And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.

And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold.

And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:

And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof:

Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.

And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:

And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.

Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.

And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold.

Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.

And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.

And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.

And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal.

And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Exodus 37:21

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